Strangers sometimes stop Larry Gildea on the street, or in the grocery store, to say "thank you."

He wasn't prepared for that when he decided last year to tell his son's harrowing story of childhood sexual abuse. He knew there would be interest among his family and friends, and maybe his neighbors. But he didn't expect to touch the lives of so many people he'd never met.

That was his goal last year when he and his wife, Jan, made the difficult decision to share their story with The Enquirer and thousands of readers across the country. The story, "After the Abuse: A wound no one can see," appeared in November and instantly turned the Springfield Township couple into activists for abuse prevention.

They will be honored for their work Friday when the Family Nurturing Center names them "Champions for Change" at the group's 20th anniversary fundraiser. The event starts at 7 p.m. at the Cincinnati Airport Marriott in Hebron.

Since the article's publication, the Gildeas have attended abuse prevention events throughout the region and have spoken out on a topic many still consider taboo.

Their son, Doug, was 5 when a neighbor sexually abused him in 1979. Though they didn't realize it until later, Doug struggled with the memories of that abuse as he grew older. A few months before his high school graduation in 1992, he hanged himself.

Doug's suicide devastated his family and friends, and eventually convinced his parents that the best way to confront child abuse is to break the silence that so often surrounds it.

They did that when they spoke publicly about the long-term impact of abuse on their family, and they've continued to speak out in the year that followed.

"We feel Doug's voice is being heard," Jan Gildea said. "And we feel very good about that."

The Family Nurturing Center, a nonprofit in Florence, serves about 30,000 people a year through its treatment, prevention and educational programs. Center officials say they chose to honor the Gildeas because the couple's decision to tell their story has helped countless others do the same.

"Larry and Jan broke this silence," said Tracy Fuchs, the center's spokeswoman. "They came right out and said it." ■

Champions for Change

The Family Nurturing Center's annual fundraiser is Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Cincinnati Airport Marriott in Hebron. Tickets are $80 at the door. The event includes a silent auction and a ceremony honoring 20 people in the region who have helped educate others about child abuse.

The center is a nonprofit based in Florence that serves about 30,000 people a year, either through treatment programs or education outreach, including presentations to schools and businesses. For more information, go to www.familynurture.org.